Fence-post.



M. PITLUGK & J.- 11. SMITHERS. FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15,1912. 1,050,389. Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

V 4 WW *1 3 hi] TED STATES @FFTQE.

MAX PITLUCK AND JOHN D. SMITHERS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSUURL FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedsllan. file, H913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, MAX PITLUGK and JOHN D. SMITHERS, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in fence wire fasteners and has for its object to provide a device of this character particularly adapted for use in combination with plastic fence posts whereby the fence line wires may be easily and quickly fastened upon the post or removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a fastening device for fence wires con- Y structed from a single sheet of metal having parallel laterally extending tongues cut therefrom, the end of one tongue being provided with a hook for engagement over the end of the other tongue to retain a fence wire in position between the tongues and against the post.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fastener of the above character which is extremely simple in construction, strong, durable and efiicient in practical use and may be inexpensively manufactured whereby the construction of wire fences is reduced to a minimum.

With the above and other objects in'view,

the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- F igure 1 is a side elevation of a portion: of a fence showing our improved fastening quently the cost thereof. The fence post preferably tapers from its lower to its upper end and at its lower end is provided portions 6. Three such anchoring portions are preferably formed upon the lower end of the post and are adapted to be embedded in the ground, the upper surfaces thereof being flush with the ground surface.

In the formation of the concrete posts, our improved fastening devices generally indicated at 7 are adapted to be arranged in the mold so as to become embeddedin the plastic material when the same has set, whereby said fastening deyices are rigidly and permanently held in the post. These fastening devices, shown in detailin. Fig. 4 are each formed from a single metal plate, the ends of which are angularly disposed at an obtuse angle with relation to the body portion of the plate and extend upon the same side thereof as shown at 8. The-body portion and angular ends of the plate are longitudinally slotted as at 9, the cut-out portions of said plate which form'the slots bein laterally extended with relation. to the b y of the plate and integrally connected thereto at the inner ends of the slots 9 and upon opposite-sides of thecentral portion of the plate. These laterally extended cut-out portions of the plate form parallel resilient tongues 10 which are bent intermediate of their ends and incline toward each other as indicated at 11. One of these resilient tongues is inwardly bent at its extremity, to form the-hook 12 for engagement over the end of the other of said tongues.

In the'construction of the concrete fence post, the fastening-members are so arranged that the entire body portion thereof and the greater part of the parallel portions of the tongues 10 will be embedded-in the concrete when the same has set. The plastic material entirely fills the slots 9 of the body .plate, and the angularly disposed ends 8 of said plate extending inwardly into the plastic material-0f the post eflectually prevent the fastening members from being pulled out of the post when pressure or strains are exerted upon the line wires of the fence. The fence wires indicated at 13 extend between the oppositely inclined end portions 11 of the tongues 10. These metallic tongues are sufficiently resilient to permit the hooked end 12 of the uppermost tongue to be forced upwardly off of the end of the tongue 11 so that the wires can be placed in position.

The book 12 may then be released to engage with the laterally extending anchoring base under the end ot the lower tongue as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction and manner of use of our improved wire fastening device will be clearly understood.

Uutward pressure upon the fence wires 13 which causes the same to bear against the opposed faces of the inclined portions 11 of the tongues 10 will be ineffective to separate said tongues and release the wire owing to the provision of the hook 12 which securely holds said tongues engaged at their ends against all ordinary strains to which the fence wires may be subjected.

/l/ hile we have described'the fastener as used in combination with a hollow plastic post, it will be obvious that the device may also be as well employed in connection with solid concrete posts.

It will further be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features of construction hereinbefore set forth but is susceptible of a great many minor modifications in the form, and proportion without departing from the essential feature or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 7

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. ln combination with a concrete post, a wire fastener consisting of a body plate having angularly disposed end port-ions embedded in said post, parallel resilient tongues extending laterally from said plate and having their end portions inclined toward each other andeirtending beyond the face of the post to receive a fence Wire between them, one oi said inclined portions of the tongues being provided with a hook on its extremity to engage over the extremity of the other of said tongues,

2. ln combination with a concrete post, a wiretastener consisting of a body plate having obtusely inclined end portions extending upon the same side of the intermediate portion of the plate, said inclined and intermediate portions of the plate having tongues cut therefrom extended laterally in parallel relation, the end portions of said tongues projecting beyond the face of the post and being inclined in opposite directions and engaged at their extremities, said tongues being adapted to receive the fence wires between them.

3, In combination with a concrete tence post, a wire fastener consisting of a metallic plate having obtusely inclined end portions extending upon the same side of the intermediate portion of the plate, said plate having resilient laterally extending tongues cut out of its inclined and intermediate portions to form slots therein, said tongues being inclined toward each other from a point intermediate of their ends and adapted to receive a fence wire between them, one of the tongues having a hook formed on its extremity to engage with the inclined end portion of the other tongue to retain the wire in position, the body of the plate and the parallel portions of said tongues being embedded in the plastic material of the post.

in testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

' MAX PlllL UClK.

JOHN D. SMITHJERS. Witnesses:

CHAS. lnnnnrians, SIMON PITLUCK. 

